weight class
Weight classes are divisions of competition used to match competitors against others of their own size. Weight classes are used in a variety of sports, especially combat sports (such as boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and wrestling). Alte ...
in
combat sport
A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the opp ...
s. For boxing, the range is above and up to . In kickboxing, a bantamweight fighter generally weighs between . In
MMA
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on strike (attack), striking, grappling and ground f ...
, bantamweight is .
The name for the class is derived from bantam chickens.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ; pt, jiu-jitsu brasileiro ) is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting (ne-waza) and submission holds. BJJ focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, control ...
has an equivalent Rooster weight.
Boxing
Bantamweight is a
class
Class or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...
in
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds (52.2 kg) and up to 118 pounds (53.5 kg).
Professional
History
The first title fight with gloves was between Chappie Moran and Ray Lewis in 1889. At that time, the limit for this weight class was 110 pounds. In 1910, however, the British settled on a limit of 118.
Current world champions
Current ''The Ring'' world rankings
As of , .
Keys:
: Current '' The Ring'' world champion
Longest reigning world bantamweight champions
Below is a list of longest reigning bantamweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion (for multiple time champions) does not apply.
: Active Title Reign
: Reign has ended
Amateur
Only one boxer has ever held the Olympic and World Amateur bantamweight titles simultaneously,
Guillermo Rigondeaux
Guillermo Rigondeaux Ortiz (; born 30 September 1980) is a Cuban professional boxer. He is a former world champion in two weight classes, having held the unified WBA (Super), WBO and '' Ring'' magazine super bantamweight titles between 2013 a ...
of Cuba, who managed the feat twice in 2001 and 2005.
1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...
Floyd Favors
Floyd Favors (born December 3, 1963 in Washington, D.C.) is a retired boxer from the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located ...
Serafim Todorov
Serafim Simeonov Todorov ( bg, Серафим Симеонов Тодоров; born 6 July 1969) is a former Bulgarian Olympic amateur boxer. He won three consecutive gold medals at both the World and European Championships, and silver at the 1 ...
Raimkul Malakhbekov
Raimkul Khudoynazarovich Malakhbekov (russian: Раимкуль Худойназарович Малахбеков; born 16 August 1974 in Dushanbe, Tajik SSR) is one of highest titled boxers of Russia, who won two Olympic medals in the Men's Bant ...
(RUS)
* 1997:
Raimkul Malakhbekov
Raimkul Khudoynazarovich Malakhbekov (russian: Раимкуль Худойназарович Малахбеков; born 16 August 1974 in Dushanbe, Tajik SSR) is one of highest titled boxers of Russia, who won two Olympic medals in the Men's Bant ...
(RUS)
* 1999:
George Olteanu
George Olteanu (born May 3, 1974 in Ștefănești, Argeș) is a former boxer from Romania, who competed for his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States.
There he was defeated in the quarter finals of the men's ba ...
(ROU)
* 2001:
Guillermo Rigondeaux
Guillermo Rigondeaux Ortiz (; born 30 September 1980) is a Cuban professional boxer. He is a former world champion in two weight classes, having held the unified WBA (Super), WBO and '' Ring'' magazine super bantamweight titles between 2013 a ...
Guillermo Rigondeaux
Guillermo Rigondeaux Ortiz (; born 30 September 1980) is a Cuban professional boxer. He is a former world champion in two weight classes, having held the unified WBA (Super), WBO and '' Ring'' magazine super bantamweight titles between 2013 a ...
Lázaro Álvarez
Lázaro Jorge Álvarez Estrada (born 28 January 1991) is a Cuban amateur boxer who won the world title in 2011, 2013 and 2015. He also won gold medals at the 2011, 2015, and 2019 Pan American Games and bronze medals at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 O ...
(CUB)
*
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
Kairat Yeraliyev
Kairat Yeraliyev ( kz, Қайрат Ерәлиев, ''Qairat Eräliev''; born 8 November 1990) is a Kazakh boxer who competes in the bantamweight division. He won bronze medals at the 2013 World Championships and 2014 Asian Games, but was eli ...
VEN
Ven may refer to:
Places
* Ven, Heeze-Leende, a hamlet in the Netherlands
* Ven (Sweden), an island
* Ven, Tajikistan, a town
* VEN or Venezuela
Other uses
* von Economo neurons, also called ''spindle neurons''
* '' Vên'', an EP by Eluveiti ...
Waldo Claudiano
Waldomiro "Waldo" Claudiano Pinto (born 22 October 1934) is a Brazilian boxer. He competed in the men's bantamweight event at the 1960 Summer Olympics. At the 1960 Summer Olympics, he received a bye in the Round of 64, then lost by decision to ...
(
BRA
A bra, short for brassiere or brassière (, or ; ), is a form-fitting undergarment that is primarily used to support and cover breasts. It can serve a range of other practical and aesthetic purposes, including enhancing or reducing the appea ...
Jackie Beard Jackie Beard (born September 10, 1961) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1981 to 1995, twice challenging for the WBA super featherweight title between 1989 and 1990. As an amateur, he won a gold medal at the 1979 Pan Ameri ...
(
USA
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
VEN
Ven may refer to:
Places
* Ven, Heeze-Leende, a hamlet in the Netherlands
* Ven (Sweden), an island
* Ven, Tajikistan, a town
* VEN or Venezuela
Other uses
* von Economo neurons, also called ''spindle neurons''
* '' Vên'', an EP by Eluveiti ...
Enrique Carrion
Enrique () is the Spanish variant of the given name Heinrich of Germanic origin.
Equivalents in other languages are Henry (English), Enric (Catalan), Enrico (Italian), Henrik (Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian), Heinrich (German), Hendrik, Henk ( ...
Gerald Tucker
Gerald Tucker (March 14, 1922 – May 29, 1979) was the head coach on the Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics, 1956 USA Men's Basketball Gold Medal Olympic Team. He was the coach of Bartlesville Phillips 66ers for four seasons from 1954 to ...
(
USA
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
Carlos Cuadras
Carlos Roberto Cuadras Quiroa (born August 24, 1988) is a Mexican professional boxer who held the WBC super flyweight title from 2014 to 2016.
As an amateur he won a gold medal in the bantamweight division at the 2007 Pan American Games.
A ...
Lázaro Álvarez
Lázaro Jorge Álvarez Estrada (born 28 January 1991) is a Cuban amateur boxer who won the world title in 2011, 2013 and 2015. He also won gold medals at the 2011, 2015, and 2019 Pan American Games and bronze medals at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 O ...
Jean Ces
Jean Ces (5 September 1906 in Béziers – 25 December 1969) was a French bantamweight professional boxer who competed in the 1920s. He won a bronze medal in Boxing at the 1924 Summer Olympics in the bantamweight category, losing agai ...
Vittorio Tamagnini
Vittorio Tamagnini (10 February 1910 – 20 January 1981) was a bantamweight professional boxing, boxer from Italy, who won the gold medal at the Boxing at the 1928 Summer Olympics, 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Olympic r ...
István Enekes
István () is a Hungarian language equivalent of the name Stephen or Stefan. It may refer to:
People with the given name Nobles, palatines and judges royal
* Stephen I of Hungary (c. 975–1038), last grand prince of the Hungarians and first ki ...
* 1937:
Ulderico Sergo
Ulderico Sergo (Fiume, 4 July 1913 – Cleveland, 20 February 1967) was a bantamweight professional boxer from Italy, who won the gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. He defeated Jackie Wilson of the United States by decision in ...
* 1939:
Ulderico Sergo
Ulderico Sergo (Fiume, 4 July 1913 – Cleveland, 20 February 1967) was a bantamweight professional boxer from Italy, who won the gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. He defeated Jackie Wilson of the United States by decision in ...
Zenon Stefaniuk
Zenon Stefaniuk (8 July 1930, in Wojnów – 10 July 1985, in Katowice) was a Polish boxer.
He twice won the gold medal at the European Amateur Boxing Championships in the Bantamweight division at Warsaw 1953 and West Berlin 1955. He par ...
* 1955:
Zenon Stefaniuk
Zenon Stefaniuk (8 July 1930, in Wojnów – 10 July 1985, in Katowice) was a Polish boxer.
He twice won the gold medal at the European Amateur Boxing Championships in the Bantamweight division at Warsaw 1953 and West Berlin 1955. He par ...
* 1957:
Oleg Grigoryev
Oleg Georgievich Grigoryev (russian: Олег Георгиевич Григорьев; born 25 December 1937) is a retired Russian Olympic bantamweight boxer. He won the European title in 1957, 1963 and 1965 and an Olympics gold medal in 1960.
...
* 1959:
Horst Rascher
Horst Rascher (born 11 March 1940) is a German boxer. He competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the 1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1968), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympia ...
Oleg Grigoryev
Oleg Georgievich Grigoryev (russian: Олег Георгиевич Григорьев; born 25 December 1937) is a retired Russian Olympic bantamweight boxer. He won the European title in 1957, 1963 and 1965 and an Olympics gold medal in 1960.
...
* 1965:
Oleg Grigoryev
Oleg Georgievich Grigoryev (russian: Олег Георгиевич Григорьев; born 25 December 1937) is a retired Russian Olympic bantamweight boxer. He won the European title in 1957, 1963 and 1965 and an Olympics gold medal in 1960.
...
* 1967:
Nicolae Gîju
Nicolae Gîju (born 4 October 1943) is a Romanian boxer. He competed in the men's bantamweight event at the 1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1968), officially known as the Games of the XIX ...
Tibor Badari
Tibor Badari (17 August 1948 – 2014) was a Hungarian boxing, boxer. He competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1976 Summer Olympics. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, he defeated Gizaw Asefa of Ethiopia, via a walkover, before losing to Da ...
* 1973:
Aldo Cosentino
Aldo Cosentino (19 October 1947 – 8 October 2023) was a French boxer.
Life and career
Born in Tunis, following the Tunisian independence Cosentino moved to Paris with his family in 1956. A seven times national champion in the bantamweight ...
* 1975:
Viktor Rybakov
Viktor Grigorievich Rybakov (russian: Виктор Григорьевич Рыбаков) (born May 28, 1956 in Magadan) is a retired boxer, who represented the USSR twice at the Summer Olympics during his career as an Olympian. He ...
Viktor Miroshnichenko
Viktor Miroshnichenko (russian: Виктор Мирошниченко; born 1 December 1959 in Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR) is a retired Ukrainian boxer, who represented the USSR at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Soviet Union. There he won the ...
Serafim Todorov
Serafim Simeonov Todorov ( bg, Серафим Симеонов Тодоров; born 6 July 1969) is a former Bulgarian Olympic amateur boxer. He won three consecutive gold medals at both the World and European Championships, and silver at the 1 ...
* 1991:
Serafim Todorov
Serafim Simeonov Todorov ( bg, Серафим Симеонов Тодоров; born 6 July 1969) is a former Bulgarian Olympic amateur boxer. He won three consecutive gold medals at both the World and European Championships, and silver at the 1 ...
* 1993:
Raimkul Malakhbekov
Raimkul Khudoynazarovich Malakhbekov (russian: Раимкуль Худойназарович Малахбеков; born 16 August 1974 in Dushanbe, Tajik SSR) is one of highest titled boxers of Russia, who won two Olympic medals in the Men's Bant ...
Khavazhi Khatsigov
Khavazhi Khatsigov (born 17 April 1977 in Grozny) is a boxer from Belarus.
He was born in Russia, but after his failure to join the Russian national team (Raimkul Malakhbekov was the No.1 Russian bantamweight in that time), he moved to Bel ...
* 2004:
Gennady Kovalev
Gennady Gennadiyevich Kovalev (russian: Геннадий Геннадиевич Ковалёв; born 17 May 1983 in Kropotkin, Krasnodar Krai) is a boxer from Russia.
Career
Southpaw Kovalev won the silver medal at the 2003 World Amateur Boxing ...
Veaceslav Gojan
Veaceslav Gojan (born 18 May 1983) is a Moldovan amateur boxer who won Bantamweight bronze at the 2008 Olympics. He comes from the village of Grimăncăuţi, district of Briceni (north of Moldova) and is a member of the Central Sport Club Dinam ...
* 2013:
John Joe Nevin
John Joseph "John Joe" Nevin (born 7 June 1988), is an Irish professional boxer. He is a two-time Olympian, and a London 2012 silver medalist.
Early life
John Joseph Nevin was born in Mullingar, County Westmeath, and is a member of the Travell ...
Peter McGrail
Peter McGrail (born 31 May 1996) is a British professional boxer who as an amateur boxer, amateur won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Amateur career
In 2014, he won bronze medals in the Boxing at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, Youth Olym ...
In kickboxing, a bantamweight fighter generally weighs between 53 kg (116 lb) and 55 kg (120 lb). However, some governing bodies have slightly different classes. For example, the
International Kickboxing Federation
The International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) is a sanctioning body for kickboxing and Muay Thai based in the United States. The IKF sanctions and regulates all aspects of these sports from Semi Contact IKF Point Kickboxing (IKF/PKB)) to Full Co ...
(IKF) Bantamweight division (professional and amateur) is 117.1 lbs.–122 lbs. or 53.22 kg–55.45 kg.
In
ONE Championship
ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...
, the bantamweight division limit is .
Lethwei
In
International Lethwei Federation Japan
International Lethwei Federation Japan, also known as ILFJ, is a Japanese Lethwei promotion company with headquarters in Tokyo.
History
In 2016, the ILFJ acquired a ‘’Grade-A’’ promoter licence from the Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Fede ...
, the bantamweight division is up to . In
International Lethwei Federation Japan
International Lethwei Federation Japan, also known as ILFJ, is a Japanese Lethwei promotion company with headquarters in Tokyo.
History
In 2016, the ILFJ acquired a ‘’Grade-A’’ promoter licence from the Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Fede ...
, Yuta Hamamoto is the Bantamweight Champion.
The
World Lethwei Championship
World Lethwei Championship (also known as WLC) is a Lethwei promotion based in Yangon, Myanmar. The promotion brought to the millennia-old Burmese martial of Lethwei to UFC Fight Pass and showcased it to the world. The WLC events combined the hi ...
recognizes the bantamweight division with an upper limit of . In
World Lethwei Championship
World Lethwei Championship (also known as WLC) is a Lethwei promotion based in Yangon, Myanmar. The promotion brought to the millennia-old Burmese martial of Lethwei to UFC Fight Pass and showcased it to the world. The WLC events combined the hi ...
, Souris Manfredi is the Bantamweight Champion.
Mixed Martial Arts
In
MMA
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on strike (attack), striking, grappling and ground f ...
, bantamweight is 126–135 pounds (57.2–61.2 kg).
Current champions
These tables were last updated in November 2022.
Muay Thai
In
Muay Thai
Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs", as it is characterised ...
, bantamweight is 115–118 pounds (52.2-53.5 kg). A notable Muai Thai bantamweight fighter is Randy Thong Phoun Phim.
Wrestling
Wrestling also has similar
weight classes
Weight classes are divisions of competition used to match competitors against others of their own size. Weight classes are used in a variety of sports, especially combat sports (such as boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and wrestling). Altern ...